The present invention relates to a rivet delivery system. More particularly, the present invention relates to a rivet delivery system having the capability of delivering a rivet to a revotely located worksite.
Rivets for an automatic riveting machine are fed automatically from a hopper into mechanical fingers in the upper anvil of the riveting head of the automatic riveting machine. A number of hoppers, each containing rivets of a specific length, are provided. When the workpiece requires rivets of a specific length, the appropriate hopper containing those rivets is installed on the automatic riveting machine. However, with certain workpieces, the rivet length requirement changes every couple of holes making it impossible to use any one specific hopper. The machine operator is thus required to climb onto the machine and manually insert the correct rivet into the upper anvil fingers. This is a dangerous, time-consuming procedure. The teachings of many patents have attempted to overcome this problem.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 1,413,727 to Hanly relates to an apparatus for delivering hot rivets from a rivet forge or furnace to a remote location.
In Hanly, a hot rivet is placed in an intake pipe and a valve is immediately opened. A charge of compressed air is directed through a nozzle into the piping and the rivet is propelled through the piping to a remote opening in the piping where a bucket is set. The rivet is thrown into the bucket and the operator inserts tongs to remove the rivet.
Firstly, Hanly teaches delivering hot rivets from a rivet forge or furnace. Thus, the delivered rivets would be hot and not feasible for utilization in an automatic riveting machine. Secondly, Hanly is silent to means for orientating the delivered rivets. The delivered rivets are merely thrown into a bucket randomly and not properly positioned in a hopper for use in an automatic riveting machine.
Another example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,208,153 to Trethewy relates to a dispensing apparatus having a plurality of gates for selectively dispensing individual articles such as rivets from a supply to a remotely located riveting machine.
In Trethewy, rivets are stored in cylinders which must be vibrated so that the rivets are fed to the associated tracks. Compressed air moves the rivets into and through the conduit to the remote riveting machine.
Firstly, Trethewy teaches the need to vibrate the containers containing the rivets in order to feed the rivets to the associated tracks. Thus, additional structure is necessary to vibrate the containers, air under pressure is needed to initially assist in properly orientating the rivets, and a cover is needed and placed over the tracks to prevent the rivets from becoming disorientated. Secondly, Trethewy teaches the use of compressed air to propel the rivets out of the passageway, through the longitudinal passageway, and the feeding conduit. By using compressed air to propel the rivets, as opposed to suction to draw the rivets through the delivery conduit, the exit orifice of the delivery conduit will be subjected to bursts of compressed air which could disorientate the rivet, damage the exit orifice of the delivery conduit and possibly damage the automatic riveting machine.
Other U.S. patents cited for their remote feeding capability but not appearing to be pertinent to Applicant's disclosure are:
______________________________________ U.S. Pat. No. To ______________________________________ 3,030,832 Filangeri et al 3,339,799 Spisak 3,448,236 Spisak 3,540,622 Spisak 3,554,403 Ginther 4,278,184 Willis ______________________________________